Body and Skin Care

We might think of skin as impenetrable, but some medications are administered through patches placed on the skin. Since the skin can absorb many kinds of chemicals, it makes sense to use personal care products (creams, lotions, shampoos, and soaps) that are as free of toxins as possible. We can also be exposed to chemicals from lip glosses, lip balms, or lipstick, when these materials wear off, enter our mouths and are swallowed.

Some product labels claim that they are “natural” or “organic,” words with no legal meaning when used to describe cosmetics or body care products. Products may contain mostly synthetic substances with only a few drops of an herbal preparation, but be labeled as “herbal” and “natural.”

As with foods, read the labels, and judge what is best of the products available. You can also make your own lotions and bath products; these skin care product recipes have been reviewed by a former staff member. The page on this site titled "Food and Household Products" also has some online stores listed that sell body care products.

Some resources to help you evaluate products:

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: general articles and resources about cosmetic safety.

Skin Deep: the Environmental Working Group’s database allows you to review their assessments of products and ingredients, with suggestions for less toxic alternatives.

SkinSAFE: this website and app allows you to search their database looking for products that do not contain substances you wish to avoid or are sensitive to. Highly recommended by a patient with eczema.

Mamavation: a blog dedicated to those who want to minimize exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in everyday products. They have extensive information about deodorants; see also my newsletter on the subject.

Organic Consumers Association’s Coming Clean Campaign: a discussion of fraudulent claims by makers of certified organic body care products.

Terressentials’ The Healthy Person's Guide to Personal Care Ingredients: a review of natural and synthetic ingredients used in body care products.